Providing information, education, and training to build knowledge, develop skills, and change attitudes that will lead to increased independence, productivity, self determination, integration and inclusion (IPSII) for people with developmental disabilities and their families.

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA--A
group of 25 California voters, some with disabilities, sued state and county
election officials Tuesday to stop them from using electronic voting machines
manufactured by Diebold Election Systems in this year's general election.

Voter Action, the advocacy group that filed the suit, reportedly claimed
that Diebold's new AccuVote TSx, which was certified by Secretary of State
Bruce McPherson last month, is unreliable, untrustworthy, inaccessible to
voters with disabilities, and does not provide a verifiable paper record.

The action could affect as many as 18 counties that had planned to use
the touch-screen system. San Diego County alone has ordered more than 10,000
units.

While the Diebold electronic voting system does allow voters who are
blind or cannot read to vote privately without assistance, it does not support
sip-and-puff technology for voters with physical disabilities, nor does it
present visual and audio messages at the same time.

All polling places across the country are required to have at least one
voting system that is accessible to voters with disabilities under the federal
Help America Vote Act of 2002.

A Diebold spokesperson told the Associated Press that more than 50,000
units of the AccuVote TSx have been used in several states, and that the system
has been thoroughly tested.

The GCDD is funded under the provisions of P.L. 106-402. The federal law also provides funding to the Minnesota Disability Law Center,the state Protection and Advocacy System, and to the Institute on Community Integration, the state University Center for Excellence. The Minnesota network of programs works to increase the IPSII of people with developmental disabilities and families into community life.